Report

1.   Introduction[1]

In accordance with the Statutes[2] of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), a 17-member body of parliamentarians oversees the administration of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and provides advice to its Governing Council[3].

The Executive Committee advises the Council on matters relating to affiliation and reaffiliation to the Union, fixes the date and place of Council sessions, and establishes their provisional agenda. It also proposes to the Council the annual work program and budget of the IPU. The Executive Committee controls the administration of the Secretariat as well its activities in the execution of the decisions taken by the Assembly and the Council.[4]

Fifteen members of the Executive Committee are elected by the Council for a four-year term. The President of the IPU is an ex officio member and President of the Committee. The President of the Co-ordinating Committee of Women Parliamentarians is an ex officio member of the Executive Committee for a two-year term which can be renewed once. Not less than 12 members of the Executive Committee are elected from among members of the Governing Council and at least three members must be women.

In 2013, the Honourable Salma Ataullahjan, from the Senate of Canada, was elected to serve as Chair of the Sub-Committee on Finance and on the IPU Executive as a representative of the Twelve Plus Group, a geopolitical association of European and like-minded nations.[5]

2. Sub-Committee on Finance

During its 268th session in Geneva in March 2014, the Executive Committee tasked the Secretariat and the Sub-Committee on Finance to develop a plan which, over time, would lead to a significant reduction in the annual contributions paid by Members of the IPU. The Executive Committee entrusted the Secretary General with preparing a draft budget outline for 2015 containing options for reducing the part of the overall expenditure budget that is financed by Members’ contributions (referred to as the “core expenditure budget”).

At its meeting in Geneva June 29, the Sub-Committee reviewed the revised draft budget summary for 2015. The budget offers an overall reduction in current assessed contributions of 6.1% or CHF 669,000, aside from the extraordinary cost of the Speakers' Conference. This will translate into a real reduction in 2015 assessed contributions for Members of almost 3.5%.

Income from voluntary sources is projected to increase substantially in 2015 to at least CHF 3.3 million or 22% of the total consolidated budget. To balance the core budget, the IPU proposes to cover up to CHF 300,000 of its core expenditures from voluntary income. This is a new step which does carry the risk of losing funding for essential core activities at a later date. However, several of the major anticipated funding sources (including Sida) are to be backed by long-term partnership agreements, so in the short term the risk is limited.

Some savings have been identified to bring the core expenditure budget to a minimum without affecting delivery of IPU objectives. An allowance of CHF 40,000 for income from potential new Members has been included, and the budget for doubtful debts has been reduced to reflect the fact that Members have been paying their dues more promptly on average. The Governing Council agreed last year to offset higher depreciation costs from the IPSAS reserves that created them and to cover the depreciation of the IPU website redevelopment from reserves; approval of these measures is once again requested for 2015.

Additionally, the Sub-Committee wished to examine what an overall reduction of 10% in current contributions during 2016 would entail. At its 27 May 2014 meeting, it requested the Secretariat to look ahead at some of the possibilities for further core expenditure budget reductions in 2016 and beyond.

Of the potential new or renewable Members, the US Congress would of course represent the greatest potential contributor. Current developments on this front are more promising than they have been during the past decade, now that some key figures within Congress are helping to champion the IPU cause. The Secretary General and his successor have both committed to give these efforts a high priority, along with encouragement to the 25 or so other potential Members to join.

 

The Sub-Committee on Finance recommends that the Executive Committee:

(i) Endorse the budget proposal as developed by the Secretariat working with the Sub-Committee on Finance;

(ii) Request the Secretariat to finalize the Consolidated Budget for 2015 on these terms and to submit it to the Members for adoption; and

(iii) Reflect upon the issues that will affect the development of future budgets in 2016 and beyond.

 

3.   Agenda of the 269^th Session of the IPU Executive Committee

The IPU Executive Committee holds sessions twice a year prior to its spring and fall Assemblies and, exceptionally, will hold a third session between assemblies to address matters of high priority. This was the case for the 269^th Session of the Executive Committee, held 30 June and 1^st of July 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland.  As it was mostly an administrative meeting, the agenda went as follows:

 

Concerning 125^th anniversary of the IPU, the Executive Committee has been apprised of plans to commemorate the event on 30 June and throughout the rest of the year. It was also suggested that the Committee discuss and adopt a statement to mark the anniversary at the end of its deliberations.

 

Concerning the Cooperation with the United Nations, the Committee has been briefed on the latest report by the UN Secretary-General on cooperation between the United Nations, national parliaments and the IPU as well as on the resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly at its current session on the same subject. The Committee also discussed prospects for future cooperation with the United Nations.  It has also considered a report of the Sub-Committee on the future UN-IPU Cooperation Agreement.

 

Concerning the preparations for the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, the Committee has been apprised of plans for the next meeting of the Preparatory Committee convened by the IPU President to prepare for the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament.

 

Concerning the Nobel Peace Prize, the Committee will been informed of the regulations governing nominations and awards of the Nobel Peace Prize and will discuss the IPU policy in relation to the award.

 

Concerning the Implementation of the IPU Strategy for 2012-2017, the Committee has discussed its implementation. In particular, members of the Committee had an initial exchange of views regarding the implementation of the revised format of IPU Assemblies and the functioning of the Standing Committees.  The Committee members were also briefed on IPU activities to develop tools and standards for democratic parliaments, including recent work to develop common standards for providers of legislative support programmes and indicators for democratic parliaments.

 

The members of the Committee had an exchange of views with the incoming Secretary General.

 

Concerning the IPU programme and budget for 2015 and beyond, The Sub-Committee on Finance reported to the Committee on preparations for the 2015 budget. The Committee gave directions to the Secretariat to enable it to complete the draft consolidated budget.

 

Concerning the 131st Assembly (Geneva, 12-16 October 2014), the Executive Committee has been briefed on the preparations for the 131^st Assembly. It also considered a request to hold a workshop on 17 October on “Good Nuclear Disarmament Practice".

Respectfully submitted,